Carpet-sewing machine.



PATENTED JUNE 25. 1907. E. ALLEN.

CARPET SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1906.

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PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

E. B. ALLEN. CARPET SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

EDWARD B. ALLEN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed March 23, 1906. Serial No. 307,597.

,comp anying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in sewing machines designed for stitching long lengths of fabric, such as carpets, sails and the like, and more particularly to an improvement in traveling carpet sewing ma-- chines of the ty e of that forming the subject of the United tates patents granted to me, August 28, 1894, Nos. 524,996 and 524,997.

The invention has for its object to provide, for the substantially horizontally arranged driving belt leading from the power supply to the machine for imparting thereto the necessary power for performing the stitch-forming and feeding operations, an effective support in the line of relative travel of the machine and the work and means whereby the same may be temporarily shifted transversely of the direction of such relative travel, so as to avoid interference with the machine.

In its referred form, the invention comprises a rame adapted to support a suitable track for a traveling sewing machine and upon which is pivotally mounted one or more swinging arms or levers disposed in front of the path of travel of the machine'and provided 'w1th grooved supporting rollers normally maintained beneath and in contact with the driving belt or belts, such swinging arm having a suitable link connection with a swinging operating arm or lever disposed rearward of the path of travel of the machine and carrying a suitable tripping pin or projection having atits outer end an anti-friction roller held, by means of a spring interposed between the operating arm and the frame, within the path of movement of a cam-plate fixed u on the sewing machine frame and of suitab e form to cause it to shift the operating arm aside and maintain it so shifted for passage of the machine, and subsequently permit it to return to its initial position under the action of the said spring, whereby the connected belt-supporting roller or rollers may be tem orarily retracted from operative position an held out of the path of travel of the machine until the latter has passed it and then returned to initial opera tive position to resume the performance of its normal function.

The invention will be understood by reference to the drawings annexed, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of a carpet machine frame provided with a track supporting a traveling machine, and having a driving-belt support constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same upon a larger scale, showing in dotted lines the upper portion of one of thestandards. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tripping cam-plate wlth its bracket-arms for attachment to the sewing machine frame.

- The main frame comprises upright su porting standards A carrying at interva s bracket arms C secured thereto by means 'of bolts B and sustaining the parallel longitudinalrods D and E, the latter, with a similar overhead rod F, constituting tracks for supporting and guiding or steadying the traveling sewing machine, whose stitchforming and feeding mechanisms are actuated by the driving belts G and G, the former being led under the grooved idle pulleys b and over the grooved main driving wheel a to impart the necessary power to the machine. Both the main belt G and the return belt G are sufiiciently supported by the machine, through parts of which they both pass, but in the spaces intermediate the machine and pulleys at the ends of the main frame they are liable to sag and come in contact with the over-lapping edges of the material to be stitched, which is secured upon the main frame by means of suitable clamps in a manner well known, thus soiling the same. To maintain these belts elevated above the stitching line intermediate the traveling machine and the ends of the main frame, I provide one or more grooved rollers or spools c c, suitably mounted upon a lateral stud d at the lower end of a swinging arm 6 of an angular lever having a hub e loosely mounted upon a rigid longitudinally extending rod f of the main frame and having an upwardly extending arm 6 with its upper end connected by means of a link 9 with the end of the upright arm h of an angular-lever pivoted at i upon a bracket 1' carried by the main frame, and having its lateral arm h extending inwardly toward the machine and carrying at its end a roller-stud 71/ normally lying in the path of longitudinal movement of. a flat cam-plate it having an upper edge which is horizontal in its middle portion and downwardly inclined in both end portions, and rigidly attached by means of angular bracketarms 7c to the sewing machine frame Z.

As the sewing machine is ropelled along the tracks E and F supported by the bearing wheels I and steadying wheels J by means of the usual toothed feed-wheel intermeshing with the teeth of the feed-rack-bar H, the forward end of the cam-plate K engages the roller-stud h of the angle-lever h h, and throws the upright lever-arm h backward in opposition to the spring m interposed between the same and a suitable eye upon the rail F, thereby similarly shifting the upper arm 6 of the belt su porting angle-lever whose lower arm e is tirown outwardly, to retract the rollers c c, transversely out of the path of movement of the sewing machine, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, in which position they are retained by the engagement of the roller-stud h with the horizontal portion of the cam-plate 7c until the machine has passed, after which by the engagement of the roller stud k with the inclined rearward portion of the cam-plate, they are returned to initial operative position, as represented in full lines in Fig. 2. By reference to the 8 sawings, it will be observed that the cam-plate 7c is of materially greater length than the traveling sewing machine by which it is carried, in order that the control of the beltsupporting angle-lever may be begun before and ended after the machine has respectively arrived at and passed the belt-supporting rollers.

lVhile any suitable means may be employed for affording the necessary adjustment of the initial operative position of the grooved belt-supporting rollers c c, as herein represented such adjusting means comprises a stop-screw a entering a suitably threaded socket in a boss 0 projecting from the upper side of the bracket and maintained in posi tion by means of a lock-nut p. The lower edge of the arm h of the operating lever normally rests upon the head of the stop-screw n at any elevation to which the latter may be set, to determine the normal position of the belt supporting lever.

As in my prior patents before mentioned, the stitch-forming mechanism is mounted in the lower part of the carriage above its point of support upon the track E, and comprises a transversely reciprocating needle 1 (Fig. 2) and cooperating looper s (Fig. 1); and the edges of the fabric are maintained in proper relation with the needle by means of an edge guide if rigidly secured to the carriage with its operative portion disposed slightly above the needle-path.

WVhile'I have shown herein only asingle belt-supporting device for the mere purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that a sufficient number of such devices are used in practice at such intervals throughout the length of the main frame upon which the machine travels to prevent the sagging of the belts into contact with the material operated upon. As illustrated herein the machine is provided with main and return belts G, and G disposed close together so that both may be sustained by common supporting arms or levers, but it will be readily seen that the number of anti-friction rollers c c, employed. for each of such arms will depend upon the number and relative positions of the belts. Although, in the employment of the present improvement in connection with such traveling sewing machines as may be provided only with power-actuated means for propelling the same in one direction for the stitching operation and adapted to be returned to initial position by hand, the belt-support shifter may be constructed to automatically perform its function in only one direction of travel of the sewing machine, as herein represented the cam-plate 7c is inclined at both ends in order that in the return of the ma chine to initial position under the action of the return belt G in a manner well-known the belt-supports will also be automatically shifted aside without any attention whatever on the part of the operator.

It is obviously desirable to maintain the driving belts raised above the edges of the material operated upon both in advance and in the rear of the traveling machine,.but such control of the wheels is less important after the overlapped edges of the material are stitched together, for the reason that the stitching performed by the machine obviates all liability of penetration of the belts between the plies of material so as to mar their faces by deposit of oil or dirt thereon. Thus the more important feature of the present improvement as applied to the type of machines before mentioned is the support of the belt or belts in advance of the sewing machine and the automatic displacement of the belt supports as the machine approaches them, the supports being returned to operative position, or remaining thrust aside in inoperative position after the stitching is performed, as the requirements of the work may be. In the present embodiment of the improvement, the adaptation of the belt sup porting device for returning to initial position after being shifted aside for passage of the machine is effected merely by the provision of the returning spring m.

From the foregoing description, it willbe observed that the present improvement is susceptible of considerable modification without departure from the present invention, the essential feature of which is the employment, in conjunction with a traveling sewing machine and a power-transmitting belt or belts leading thereto, of one or more belt-supports and means whereby the latter comprising sup orting and steadying tracks and rigid stan ards upon which said tracks are secured in fixed arallel relation, a traveling carriage provi ed with supporting and steadying wheels resting upon said tracks, stitch-forming mechanism mounted in said carriage and including a laterally reciprocating needle having its working position above the point of support of said carriage, feeding mechanism for the propulsion of the carriage upon said tracks, an edge-guide mounted upon said carriageadjacent the needle path and disposed also above the point of support of the carriage, means for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms including a driving belt-pulley mounted upon said carriage above said edge-guide, a driving belt leading to said pulley-wheel upon the carriage substantially in its direction of travel to supply power for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, a movable belt-support mounted upon said frame and disposed in the line of travel of said carriage beneath said belt, and automatically acting means for shifting aside said belt-support as the machine approaches the latter.

2. A sewing machine for stitching long lengths of fabric constructed with a frame comprising sup orting and steadying tracks and rigid stan ards upon which saidtracks are secured in fixed parallel relation, a traveling carriage provided with supporting and steadying wheels resting upon said tracks, stitch-forming mechanism mounted in said carriage and including a laterally reciprocat ing needle having its working position above the oint of support of said carriage, feeding mechanism for the propulsion of the carriage upon said tracks, an edge-guide mounted upon said carriage adjacent the needle-path and disposed also above the point of support of the carriage, means for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms in cluding a driving belt-pulley mounted upon' and at the front side of said carriage above said edgeguide, a driving belt leading to said belt-pulley upon the carriage substantially in its direction of travel to supply power for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, a movable belt-support mounted upon said frame and disposed in the line of travel of said carriagebeneath said belt, a movable actuating member mounted upon said frame rearward of the line of travel of said carriage, an operative connection -be tween the belt-support and said actuating member, and a cam-member mounted upon the rear side of said carriage and adapted to operatively engage said actuating member for shifting the belt-support.

3. A sewing machine for stitching long lengths of fabric constructed with a frame comprising supporting and steadying tracks and rigid standards upon which said tracks are secured in fixed parallel relation, a traveling carriage provided with supporting and steadying wheels resting upon said tracks, stitch-forming mechanism mounted in said carriage and including a laterally reciprocating needle having its working position above the point of support of said carriage, feeding mechanism for the propulsion of the carriage upon said tracks, an edge-guide mounted upon said carriage adjacent the needlepath and disposed also above the point of support of the carriage, means for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms includmg a driving belt-pulley mounted upon and at the front side of said carriage above said edge-guide, a driving belt leading to said belt-pulley upon the carriage substantially in its direction of travel to supply power for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, a laterally swinging lever disposed at the front side of the path of movement of said carriage and fulcrumed in its upper portion upon said frame, a stud at the lower end of said lever normally extending beneath said belt and carrying a belt-supporting roll, a vibratory actuating lever fulcrumed upon said frame rearwardly of the path of movement of said carriage and provided with a forwardly extending lateral arm carrying a roller-stud, a link connection intermediate said levers, and a cam-plate secured to the rearward side of said carriage and adapted to engage the roller-stud of the lateral arm of said actuating lever.

4. A sewing machine for stitching long lengths of fabric constructed with a frame comprising supporting and steadying tracks and rigid standards upon which said tracks are secured in fixed parallel relation, a traveling carriage provided with supporting and steadying wheels resting upon said tracks, stitch-forming mechanism mounted in said carriage and including a laterally reciprocating needle having its working position above the point of support of said carriage, feeding mechanism for the propulsion of the carriage upon said tracks, an edge-guide mounted upon said carriage adjacent the needle-path and disposed also above the point of support of thecarriage, means for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms including a driving belt-pulley mounted upon and at the front side of said carriage above said edge-guide, a driving belt leading to ICC said belt-pulley upon the carriage substantially in its direction of travel to supply power for actuating the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, a laterally swinging lever disposed at the front side of the path of movement of said carriage and fulcrumed in its upper portion upon said frame, a stud at the lower end of said lever normally extending beneath said belt and carrying a beltsupporting roll, a vibratory actuating lever fulcrumed upon said frame rearwardly of the path of movement of said carriage andprovided with a forwardly extending lateral arm carrying a roller-stud, a link connection intermediate said levers, an adjustable stop in the path of movement of the lateral arm of said actuating lever to determine its normal position, a spring for yieldingly maintaining said arm in contact with said stop, and a cam-plate secured to the rearward side of said carriage and adapted to engage the roller-stud of the lateral arm of said actuating lever.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' EDWARD B. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. MILLER, HENRY A. KORNEMANN. 

